A radial bearing assembly of this type is described in the workshop repair manual (Manual de Reparation N. 8881) for the vehicle Citroen BX, edition of September 1982, chapter 5, page 3. The figure XB 16 illustrates a holder which appears to be mounted on the engine block and supports the drive shaft, with the outer ring of a radial bearing being restrained in the holder against rotation. Secured to the drive halfshaft is the inner ring which is supported by a shoulder that forms an axial stop of the radial bearing. This conventional radial bearing assembly does not allow a self-alignment, i.e. no compensation for a radial offset between the radial bearing and the drive halfshaft during installation. Alignment of the radial bearing is not possible since the outer ring is mounted coaxial with the drive halfshaft in the housing without any clearance, and the housing is attached to the engine block without provisions for adjustment.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,413,701 discloses a support provided for a drive halfshaft and including a holder secured to the engine block for receiving a radial bearing having an inner ring which is secured on the drive halfshaft against rotation. The drive halfshaft has a cardan joint immediately at the transmission output, thereby rendering the need for alignment of the radial bearing unnecessary. The arrangement of a further cardan joint incurs disadvantageously increased manufacturing costs and further complicates installation of the drive shaft.
A further solution for creating a drive halfshaft support which allows a self-alignment proposes a radial bearing assembly which has an outer ring received in a holder or a receiving housing via an elastic intermediate ring. This type of support for a drive halfshaft leads to higher maintenance costs since the elastic intermediate ring as a result of considerable mechanical stress is subject to high wear which is even compounded if the drive halfshaft is out-of-true.